Separable plug.



J. J. KENNEY.

SEPARABLE PLUG.

APPLICATIION men AUGJ. me.

1 ,297,179. Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

4 'FIG.1 7

FIG-.3

WITNESSES INVENTOR UNTTED "STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. KENNEY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BEST ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYL VANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SEPARABLE PLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed August 7, 1916. Serial No. 113,508.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. KENNEY, a resident of Pittsburgh, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in separable Plugs, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to separable attachment plugs, such as are usedfor making connections from a portable lamp, electric iron, or otherdevice, to a lamp socket, or any similar source of current. The objectof th invention is to provide a separable plug comprising the usual basemember, and a cap, which, when coupled together, are held securely, butwhich may be easily disengaged by an outward or lateral pull on thecap,.without injury to'the plug or detachment of the cords. A furtherobject of the invention is to providea separable attachment plug whosemembers are held to ether by means of resilient contact memers which canbe readily freed from connection to each other .when desired. A furtherobject of-the invention is to provide a separable attachment plug thetwo parts of which may be easily engaged by direct longitudinal movementtogether, and easily disengaged by any movement from each other. Afurther object is to furnish means for attaching the two parts of theseparable plug together comprising spring contact members adapted toform conducting terminals, and also means for engaging the conductingparts, and holding them under spring pressure. Further objects of theinvention will appear hereinafter, and will be apparent to thosefamiliar .with such devices.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure1 is a vertical central section through the entire plug, the parts beingin engaged position; Fig. 2 is an under view of the cap; Fig. 3 is anunder view of the base; Fig. 4: is a partial ver-' tical section on theline 4-4, Fig.1; Fig. 5 is an end view of the threaded shell contactmember.

The plug comprises the usual cap member 1, and base member 2. To the capmember is secured by means of screws 3 conducting metal plates 4, whichcarry binding posts 5 for the ordinary conductor Wires. These platesare'spaced apart sufliciently to be in sulated from each other.

Clampedunder the plates 4 are metal-terminal members 6, preferably madeof a material having considerable resiliency, but beerably of a materialwhich may be easilyv molded, is of the proper shape andv size to fitinto the ordinary socket. It is formed .with a central axial bore 10,and with two other openings, 11 and 12, extending longitudinally throughthe base, on diametric sides of the central bore, preferably rectangular, and adapted '09 receive the spring members 6 extended downwardtherein from the cap. Fixed to the lowerend of the base in a mannerdescribed below and extending upwardly through the openings 11 and 12.are two spring contact members 13 and 14, which are made of fiat metalstrips, of substantially the same width as the members 6, and havingtheir upper ends slotted, as shown in Fig. 4, to form parallelprojections 15, which are bent inward at their ends, as shown in Fig. 1.At the ends of the slots 16, the members are bent to form shoulders 17.

By this construction of the spring contact .members, when the cap isforced into enso forms a resilient locking engagement of p the tongueand slot, as will be obvious. By

this means the cap and base are held securely together under normalconditions, but the cap may 'be readily released by overcoming theresilient spring engagement described. This ma be done not only by adirect longitudinawithdrawing movement, but also by a lateral pull,causing the cap to rise on one edge as a fulcrum. The

springs are adapted to release by a pull from either side. Thisconstruction is particularly adapted for electric fixtures used on a.dining table, etc., Where the plug is frequently disconnected by merelygiving the wires a pull, or by knocking it out of a floor soclret Withthe foot. V fith the present arrangement this is readily done Withoutdanger or injury to the plug or of detaching the conductor wires.

()n the base 2 a metal threaded shell con tact member 18 is mounted.This is pressed out of any suitable sheet metal, and is cupshaped, toslip onto the end of the base. The bottom is punched out, to form acentral opening, as shown in Fig. 5. This opening is enlarged at oneend, so as to give good clearance for passage of the conducting member li therethrough. The other end of the opening is rectangular, and aportion of the metal punched out, in the form of a strip 19, is bentaround the base into the opening 11, forming a clamp to s -uirely holdthe spring member 13, which is bent around and under the base, all asshown in l. The other terminal memher 1%, is extended beyond the base,and has its end clamped under the central terminal rivet 20. After theshell 18 is in position on the base, an insulating disk 21 is placedover its end. his disk has an opening 22, through which the conductor 14passes to make contact With the central rivet 20. It also has a centralhole through which the rivet 20 passes, and there may also be providedan additional insulating dish 23., and a central metal Washer 2%. All ofthese parts are held in position by the rivet 20, which extends throughthe axial bore 10.

Tn the construction above described, the plug consists of a cap carryingthe conducting terminals and binding posts, all in an integral form. Thebase has spring contact members adapted to engage the conductingterminals of the cap, and to connect With an outer shell contact and acentral terminal contact, as is usual in such plugs. ofthe parts on thebase lined in position by a rivet or screw, need never voe dis- Allassembled. The two parts of the plug are? adapted to engage and to formthe neccs sary contacts by a single longitudinal move v ment. The meansprovided are sufiicient to give a strong locking action, and yet thereis no dii'liculty in separating the cap from the base by most anyWithdrawing movement. lVhen the cap is removed the binding posts andconductor wires carried thereon are completely exposed, and in positionfor adjustment or disconnection. The convenience and eliiciency ofconstruction Wlll be apparent to those familiar With the art.

1. An attachment plug having a separable cap and base, terminals carriedby one of said members, said terminals having a.

curved end tongue, contacts carried by the other member, said contactshaving a notch in the end thereof, and an inclined end, whereby saidterminals and contacts engage and disengage by relative movement to lockthe cap and base together.

2. An attachment plug having a separable cap and base, terminals carriedby the cap and contacts carried by the base, said terminals being formedof resilient metal and having a hump in the end thereof, said contactsbeing formed of resilient material and having a slotted oiiset portionat the end thereof adapted to engage said hump, whereby the terminal andcontact member engage to lock the cap and base together.

3. An attachment plug having a separable cap and base, terminals carriedby the and contact members carried by the base, said terminal membersbeing formed with raised tongues in the ends thereof, and said contactmembers being formed with inclined slotted ends and an ofiset portion atthe end of the slot, adapted, to engage said humps on the terminalmembers, whereby to lock the cap and base by enment of the conductingmembers.

estimony whereof I have hereunto set V Trtnesses C. O. Erma. F. JV. 1/ENTER.

